Solidarity in a time of McCarthyism
To everyone who has reached out to us after The New York Times’ McCarthyite article of lies, distortions, innuendo and hate, we say “Thank you, we love you!” - CODEPINK staff.
The New York Times should be ashamed. This blatant McCarthyism towards advocates of peace with China parallels the ludicrous Russia-gate smear campaign against advocates of diplomacy - myself included - following the 2016 election. That anti-Russian McCarthyism paved the way for the raging proxy-war in Ukraine that now drifts closer to nuclear conflagration by the day.
The outbreak of anti-China McCarthyism is just the latest dire warning that the military-industrial-media complex is ginning up war with China. It gives notice to citizens across the globe that for the survival of humanity, we must double down for peace. As part of this mobilization, we condemn this reckless campaign to further expand US militarism that's already impoverishing and endangering us all.
Dr. Jill Stein, Green Party Presidential nominee, 2016, 2012
Peace organizations have lots of reasons to oppose the US’ new cold war with China. They aren’t told by the Chinese government what to say. The New York Times’s hatchet job on CODEPINK is part of a U.S. propaganda campaign to attack the peace movement.
Massachusetts Peace Action
The New York Times has normalized hating China. CODEPINK has never changed its position or defended imprisoning an ethnic group. Wanting to avoid a war with China so that human life can continue to exist is not a ‘Chinese talking point’ just because China might agree with it.
David Swanson, World Beyond War
Surely it is the responsibility of news media like the New York Times to report dispassionately about the dangers of US nuclear-tipped brinkmanship with China. Is it sound foreign policy, or is it reckless, ill-conceived warmongering that threatens to drag the whole world into a nuclear holocaust? Are critics of such policy necessarily secret agents of the Chinese government, or are they just trying to prevent unnecessary conflict? CodePink has always been dedicated to stopping war and finding ways to live and work alongside countries like China, for the sake of humanity and our survival. The article strikes us as a slanderous attack on remarkable campaigners for peace and justice.
Vicki Elson and Timmon Wallis, NuclearBan.US
CODEPINK has not only worked to raise awareness about the forgotten Afghan war, the organization has supported girls education and civilians through aid and advocacy efforts and was quick to mobilize a campaign to pay the salaries of Afghan teachers and healthcare workers when the government collapsed in August 2021. CODEPINK knows that the first victims of war are women, children— and the earth. That’s why, contrary to this article, their work around China is not to support the Chinese government but to prevent war.
Masuda Sultan, Unfreeze Afghanistan
Perhaps we’ve grown used to the relentless efforts to silence anyone who dissents from the Biden administration’s stance on key issues of foreign policy but for me, this article marks a new low. Its assault on CODEPINK signals that ANY consistent anti-war force with even a modest institutional presence will no longer be tolerated. The New York Times has taken lessons straight from the Joseph McCarthy playbook.
Jan Clausen, writer
Why can't a wealthy individual support left wing causes in America? As former CIA agent Ray McGovern informs us, we are being brainwashed by the MICIMATT--the Military, Industrial, Congressional, Intelligence, Media, Academic, Think Tank complex. This latest report on the sins of a wealthy funder contributing to the promotion of a positive message about China is part of a corrupt media campaign to keep us at constant war. Stop beating the drums of war against China!
Alice Slater, World Beyond War
As we continue to prepare the ground for a confrontation with China, our government needs to demonize those who refuse to go along with our war preparations. Our Greed Machine is reeling from the fact that a non-white nation took just 30 years to accomplish a level of economic development that took “whites” 300 years to achieve.
Lorenzo Canizares, labor organizer
As a former lawyer and prosecutor, we had a saying: “If you have the facts on your side, pound the facts; if you have the law on your side, pound the law; if you have neither the facts nor the law, pound the table.” The August 5th New York Times article entitled “A Global Web of Chinese Propaganda Leads to a US Tech Mogul,” contains a great deal of table-pounding. The facts and the law are scarce in this piece but the nationalist rhetoric, the circular arguing, the guilt by distant association, and the extensive use of proof-texting is unmistakable.
An article supposedly condemning Chinese propaganda ends up becoming American propaganda. According to the NYT, no person or group can utter a positive word about the vast and complex country of China— its culture, history, or economy— without being part of Chinese propaganda. The article states: “The goal [of the alleged Chinese propagandists] is to disguise propaganda as independent content.” Ironically, this is a feat well-accomplished by the authors themselves who never question the U.S. war narrative against China but choose instead to attack any who do.
Code Pink has long stood valiantly in support of human rights around the globe, often placing their bodies on the line. With comments about possible legal action by the U.S. government repeatedly mentioned in this article (comments provided by U.S. government officials), all U.S. citizens should be reminded that this kind of attack in the media is often the shameful first salvo fired when an empire is challenged.
Brad Wolf, Peace Action Network of Lancaster
Looks like you and Roy must be doing something right.
The NYT wouldn’t want you or anyone else standing in the way of the newest justification for Pentagon excess and our government’s policy of economic violence.
Huge congrats and my best to Roy,
Ben Cohen, cofounder Ben & Jerry’s
You all must be doing something REALLY RIGHT to get this level of scrutiny in the Times. Carry on! We need you.
Leigh Claire La Berge
Professor of English BMCC CUNY
An up close look at McCarthy era tactics. They make it seem like the US is at war with China when they are one of our biggest trading partners and the holder of the most US currency of any country.
Hats off to you for putting your labor and resources into anti-US imperialist work. Sorry Michael isn’t here to unleash his fury at this hit job.
Sending you love and solidarity.
Karen Ranucci
This article corroborates what we've known for a while now--that Ukraine is just the warm-up for the war against the real target--China.
What pushed Jodie Evans to create China Is Not Our Enemy (CINOE) in the first place was the unleashing of anti-China propaganda in 2020, which reminded her of the prelude to the Iraq War. If this current campaign follows the same schedule (remember the "rollout" of advertising for the Iraq war started in Aug/Sep 2002), then that suggests that our overlords are planning for hostilities with China to break out in about six months. Judith Miller's successors at the NYT must be giddy--they're probably already in Niger hunting down Chinese agents and the latest version of "yellowcake".
Steve Roddy, professor of Chinese literature and culture
Dearest Jodie,
I know your heart is pure. This article is a hatchet-job by innuendo.
Sending love and strength,
Earl Katz, formerly of FOR (Fellowship of Reconciliation)
My midnight comment:
I have been sitting with this article all day and realize that what has bothered me so much is that it is demonizing anyone who shows us another side of a country that is being sold to us as the latest enemy. It has all the markings of the McCarthyism I thought we left behind. We saw this reaction with the Vietnam War, with the Iraq war, with Ukraine, and now China.
All nations, especially empires like China, Russia, and the U.S., have propaganda machines. Why don’t these authors take a look at some of our propaganda, especially when we are in the process of defining a new enemy? But perhaps what has startled even me more are many posts in the comment section, replete with knee-jerk reactions, demonizing Jodie Evans and CodePink, taking statements out of context, misrepresenting positions – and, totally forgetting the work they have done for peace. CodePink calls for negotiations, not more arms, not more killing. But negotiations have become a bad word among a new brand of leftist hawks. I believe that the purpose of articles like this one – whether it is a conscious decision or not -- is to divide and weaken the left in America. Progressives need to have serious discussions about this type propaganda in the mainstream media.
Georgia Kelly, Praxis for Peace
The New York Times has shown itself again and again to be a US government mouthpiece. It has never seen a US war of aggression it didn't love, and has played an absolutely shameful role spreading lies to justify these wars. (Remember "WMDs"?)
Now these State Department stenographers, who regularly violate basic journalistic standards, are bringing the spirit of disgraced cold warrior Joseph McCarthy back from the dead.
They apparently want people to think that any leftists who oppose the US new cold war and want peaceful cooperation with China are Chinese agents.
There is nothing wrong with a leftist activist who got lucky and made substantial money to use those resources to fund left-wing, anti-war media outlets that encourage peace and cooperation with China and admire the many accomplishments of the Chinese Revolution.
The vast majority of right-wing media outlets are owned and/or funded by billionaire oligarchs, but because they are pro-war and support US imperialism, it is seen as perfectly normal.
The New York Times and other corporate media outlets are obediently pushing a dangerous, authoritarian propaganda narrative on behalf of the most fanatical hawks in the US national security state, implying that there are just two manichean choices: you either support Washington's hybrid war on China or you are secretly working for China.
This is George W. Bush's ludicrous logic that "you're either with us or you're a terrorist", all over again. It's an anti-democratic neo-McCarthyism that must be opposed.
Ben Norton, Geopolitical Economy Report
Just a quick note to say that I've been thinking of this sentence constantly since yesterday: "Few on the American political left would discuss the couple publicly, fearing lawsuits or harassment."
This is supposed to be journalism? Obviously there are zillions of people "on the American left" who would be happy to speak to the NYT about you and Roy and say wonderful things. In fact, I know IPS leaders did. But that didn't fit their narrative. So they toss in this BS line, trying to suggest people view you as vindictive but without having to substantiate it. That fits their tendentious authoritarian narrative better.
Much more to be said about the article, but this is the sentence I can't get out of my head -- such a clear sign of bias.
Sarah Anderson, Global Economy Project Director and Inequality.org Co-editor, Institute for Policy Studies
I condemn the “red baiting” of you and CODEPINK in the NYT.
In Solidarity,
Jim Lafferty, National Lawyers Guild LA
Just wanted to say I’ve been following the aftermath of the NYT article about you and Neville. What a hit job. My god…. Back when we had just founded the Gorbachev Foundation in the Presidio in 1992, a group of ultra conservatives began to spread the message, aired in Congressional testimony, that I was working with Gorbachev to establish "world government" in the Presidio. The grandson of Winston Churchill was involved. Shortly thereafter, our office was broken into and files stolen. Then more attacks with “hard evidence” of plans for world government. Boggles the mind.
It reminds me of a comment by Lyndon Johnson, that the greatness of a person’s stature is measured by the magnitude of their enemies. You have taken the hit from the NYT. That is a measure of your greatness. You are being effective and they are seeking to destroy you through defamation and lies.
Carry on, dear one. You are a bright shining star in the firmament and I support you 100%.
Much love,
Jim Garrison, Humanity Rising
Very impressive. Congratulations on being the subject of a full page hit piece.
In the old days, the gray lady was an instrument of the ruling class, but you could read it closely and get something out of it. Now it is a propaganda sheet.
Two months ago, we broadcast an interview with John Pilger called “The coming war with China“. The Times is helping out, just like they did with Iraq and Syria and Lebanon and Yugoslavia and Vietnam…..
In solidarity,
Michael Steven Smith, attorney, host of radio show Law and Disorder
Congratulations!!!!!! You hit a big nerve in the propaganda machine !!!
Now you are right up there with Dr. Helen Caldecott, Dan Ellsberg, Martin Luther King, Blase Bonpane and so many others who spoke their truth. Brava!!!!
And you two look fabulous, which will annoy people as well. Aren’t activists supposed to look grim???
Hugs to all of you,
Susan Clark, donor for 21 years to CODEPINK and Emmy award winning actor
CODEPINK is as much an educational organization as it is one devoted to citizen engagement. It is a haven for people who think for themselves and a revelation for those, young and old, learning to do so. A women-led group, CODEPINK offers men and women the opportunity to understand the perspectives of those who are not dominant members of society in the United States and elsewhere in the world.”
Zool Zulkowitz, member, Directors Guild of America (retired), associate member of Veterans For Peace, appointee of the Manhattan Borough President to Community Board #5
I have worked with CODEPINK for more than a decade, and I have always been inspired by, and extremely grateful for, the organization's leadership, absolute integrity and courage in advocating for peace and for respect for the human rights of all people. The New York Timesarticle has serious journalistic flaws, including smearing CODEPINK, describing it as an organization that is fiction to me.
Nick Mottern, Co-coordinator, Ban Killer Drones
Facing ecological collapse, nuclear weapon proliferation, and potential newnpandemics, our collective security rests in collaborating with other nations, including China, to solve problems posed by these realities.
I’m grateful for Code Pink’s readiness to foster active cooperation, internationally, to address the threats of climate change, water shortages, and regional underdevelopment.
Kathy Kelly, author/activist
I have worked with and supported Code Pink since at least 2009. This organization, founded by Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans in 2002, has been foremost in the anti-war movement for over 20 years.
People around the world are both astonished and terrified at how the U.S. government continues to provoke and threaten China, putting the human race on the precipice of all-out nuclear war. Attempting to silence the voices of those speaking out for peace is both shameful and highly dangerous. It’s like trying to block fire trucks on the way to a life-threatening fire. The media instead, should be condemning the stranglehold the Military-Industrial Complex has on the U.S. government, which in our lifetimes has led to the deaths of millions of innocents worldwide.
Lenny Bianchi, anti-war activist and retired volunteer firefighter
I was outraged to read that evidence-free defamation of you all in the Times yesterday. Let me know what I can do to help.
In solidarity and with much love,
Matthew Hoh, veteran
Sending a quick note since I am guessing today was hard. Wanted you to know how much I and a zillion others appreciate your solidarity and activism over the years. Keep breathing!
Love,
Annie Leonard
Decades ago the New York Times was a periodical I trusted to provide unbiased reporting. Sadly, it long ago became a cog in the U.S. government’s misinformation machine especially in regards to its policy of promoting endless wars. So it was no surprise to see the so-called investigative piece on philanthropist Roy Singham and his wife CODEPINK co-founder, peace and justice activist Jodie Evans in which their efforts to promote peace and cross-cultural dialogue between the United States and China was so vehemently attacked as propaganda. When the U.S.’s “legacy media” can portray the work of “a socialist benefactor of far-left causes” and the co-founder of a twenty year old women’s peace organization as Chinese propaganda, you know that 1984 is now and we’re living McCarthyism part II.
Desiree Bianchi, retired librarian
It should be obvious to any thoughtful fair-minded reader of the recent NY Times front page article on CODEPINK co-founder Jodie Evans that it was a HIT piece. Jodie did nothing wrong except share views about China's policies which differ from the US State Department and the editors of the NY Times.
Yesterday I watched a CNN interview with DNC mouthpiece James Carville. Once again he was railing against the danger to 'Democracy' that third party candidates pose. This time it was Green Party candidate Cornel West he was warning us about. During the interview he once again called former Presidential candidate Jill Stein a “Russian Agent.' His evidence? Years ago she attended a dinner with President Putin. (He assured Anderson Cooper that he still had the photo to prove she was there!)
Those who are using their mainstream platforms to defame peace activists are doing it to promote an agenda: to maintain the insatiable war machine that is absconding with most of our nation's treasure and has managed to buy the so-called media. As I watch these well-placed war propagandists posing as journalists and commentators attack peace activists with such venom I wonder why they're so afraid.
As more Americans tune out the NY Times and CNN to seek independent sources for news, the legacy media continues to spiral down. Besides their non-stop agenda-driven lies and distortions, they offer their viewers and readers an echo chamber increasingly devoid of dissenting voices and opposing viewpoints. The heavily censored pro-war propaganda machine that now presents itself as 'the mainstream' has become quite boring to a growing segment of the American public. Now that's GOOD NEWS!
Sharleen Leahey
Jodie - I’ll just say this, you have always been incredibly generous and kind toward me, as you are by nature, and I was chagrined by the clumsy attempt at the Times to paint you and Roy as foreign agents and poster children for the unhinged left. You of course probably view the whole matter as a badge of honor, and possibly even a fundraising opportunity. I hope you’re ok.
Hamilton Fish, publisher
Jodie, sending you full support and our continuing solidarity. Thank you for all that you do for Truth, Justice and Peace.Know that support for you grows tenfold when scurrilous attacks come down. We are circulating the statement far and wide.
Sara Flounders, International Action Center